Salon owner could face prosecution after botched treatments

Alison McQuade is alleged to have fraudulently claimed she was a nurse to attend a training course in aesthetic treatments aimed at health professionals.

A string of women have come forward saying they suffered problems after being treated at the Dash salon in Partick, reinforcing calls from experts for stricter regulation of the industry.

Ms McQuade also advised one pregnant woman that it was safe to have lip plumping injections, which according to two experts, is “a strict and complete contraindication.”

Botox, a brand name for “botulinum toxin” can only be prescribed by a doctor, nurse practitioner or dentist.

However, lip fillers can be administered by “anyone in the back of a van” according to a leading pracitioner, despite the treatment actually being more risky if not administered correctly.

Risks can include blindness, stroke and necrosis (death of tissue).

The Evening Times has been shown an email from The Face Academy which states it is the “leading provider of facial aesthetic training for dentists and medical professionals.”

It says: “I can confirm that she fraudulently attended one of the Face Academy’s training days with the understanding that she was a nurse practitioner who already provided aesthetic treatments.”

The academy goes on to say it is happy to cooperate in any way possible and help with any of the “complications” customers have experienced.

Glasgow City Council’s environmental health team said they are investigating a complaint against Ms McQuade.

Dr Nestor Demosthenous (pictured above), who is a member of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine and advises the Scottish Government on the industry, said he had been contacted by a number of women who have experienced problems after being treated by Ms McQuade and had advised them to contact the police.

He said: “She (Alison McQuade) is not a registered nurse or a nurse prescriber (as she has been telling patients).

“According to the NMC this is a criminal offence.

“Unfortunately they hadn’t checked.

“Botox is a brand name of “botulinum toxin”. There are different companies that make similar products. All these products are prescription only medications and can only be prescribed by a doctor, nurse practitioner or dentist.

“The General Medical Council dictates that if a doctor is going to prescribe botox, he must have a face to face consultation with a patient, gain medical history and consent from the patient.

“The doctor must be confident that if someone else is gong to administer the drug, he or she must be confident that the person administering it has had enough training to carry this procedure out.

“None of Alison’s patients who have contacted me have ever seen a doctor, nurse practitioner or dentist leading up to Alison injecting them.

“A number of the girls have experienced lumps after getting fillers in their lips. This is either because the filler hasn’t been injected in the right place or it’s been a very dirty technique, where there is the risk of infection.

“A further concern is where is she sourcing her botox and fillers? Is one of my colleagues supplying her or is she buying things on line (not sure which one is more concerning)

“With regard to fillers, fillers can be administered by anyone.

“This is not because the government believes it is safe, but because the law hasn’t caught up with the development of Aesthetic Medicine and has neglected to change the law.

“Fillers are not prescription drugs (although they have lidocaine in them (a prescription drug).

“Risks involved when administering fillers includes blindness, stroke, necrosis (death of tissue), infections, granulomas or nodules (Lumps). These have risks have been documented by experienced doctors, nurses and dentists.

“The risk are low but should they occur a medical professional will know how to treat them, or have the integrity to put patient care above all else and refer on to a colleague who can treat these risks should the occur.”

A spokesman for the Nursing the Midwifery Council said it was not aware of anyone called Alison McQuade being on the nursing register.

The Evening Times went to Ms McQuade’s salon, yesterday morning, and called the number advertised for appointments as well as messaging her on her Facebook page but she did not respond.

Dr Nestor, who qualified in Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh before moving into Aesthetic Medicine is pushing the government to introduce stricter guidelines on aesthetic treatments.

He said: “The government has decided that data needs to be collected to prove ‘in figures’ that a non medic causes more harm than a medic.

“This is in my professional opinion is ridiculous. Firstly, it will be extremely difficult to collect data.

“But most importantly, this will mean than many patients will be harmed while collecting data.

“Health Education England (HEE) has set recommendations about who can do treatments and what qualifications they must achieve (level 7 (almost a master’s degree).

“This will be implemented in England in November this year (I think), but it doesn’t look like Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will adopt these.

“In April of these year it became a legal requirement for doctors, nurses and dentists carrying out injectable and device treatments (lasers, ultrasound, radio-frequency etc), to be registered and regulated with and by HIS.

“This is good and bad. Good because this helps to safeguard patients. bad because HIS is now regulating professionals who are already regulated (doctors by the GMC, nurses by the NMC an dentists by the GDC), while neglecting to regulate people where the most harm will come from (non medics).

“As it currently stands, a beauty therapist, or anyone, can inject anyone with filler in the back of the van ( I can’t say this has 100% occurred, but I have hear several similar stories).

The Face Academy did not respond to the Evening Times’ repeated requests for comment.

DONNA WILKIE claims she returned to the salon three times after problems with lip fillers but eventually opted for a partial refund.

She said: “I told her I was not willing to risk her going near lips for a third time and I was offered half of the £140 I paid for lips.

“I now have to wait till filler dissolves or find and pay someone else to correct her work.”

Jordyn Dinnie said she was left with a lump in her top lip after a treatment.

She said: “It left me with a huge lump hanging down which she said she would fix.

“She then only answered me blaming my lips for the state they were in saying I had underlining issues with previous filler.”

Another woman claims she suffered tooth damage after a treatment.

She claims her lips and gums were “burnt” and experienced shooting pains in her mouth and said she had “never experienced pain like it”.

In a Twitter exchange seen by the Evening Times, Ms McQuade says: “Jesus, I won’t use that gel again, sorry” and “really wish I’d stayed clear of that tooth.”

Marie Snapp, 35, from Greenock, says she was left with a droopy right eye after receiving botox.

She said: “I had botox and my whole face went paralysed. I cousin drink or speak properly. Liquid was falling out the sides of my mouth.

"She told me she was not only a nurse but a prescriber nurse."

Belinda Galbraith also experienced problems after receiving Botox.

She said: “The girl has acted as a nurse and been injecting clients and myself included.

“It's came to light she gave false details and a doctor trained her in his academy.

"She has been using his name referencing him to lots of girls reciving treatments. He then found out she doesn't have a medical background and tried to contact her. He then had to get another staff member to make appointment to get into the shop to remove her certificates stating she is qualified through him."”

“I have been left with a drooping face and others with lumps in there lips.I just don’t want anyone else to go through this.”

In one exchange on Twitter, seen by the Evening Times, Ms McQuade advises a pregnant woman that it is safe to have lip fillers after giving birth.

She writes: “There is no restriction on pregnancy as doesn’t affect breast feeding.”

The client then asks if it is safe to have the treatment now, while pregnant and is told it is.

According to the Face Academy, which trained Ms McQuade: “pregnancy and breast feeding is a strict and complete contraindication to dermal filler or botox procedures.”